No evidence Dolan Fire was started to cover up larger crime

  • Source: KSBW-TV NBC/ABC 8 Salinas
  • Published: 09/23/2020 06:37 PM

A Fresno man accused of starting one of Monterey County’s largest wildfires has been found competent to stand trial on charges he started the Dolan fire south of Big Sur back on August 18. That was the ruling handed down Wednesday against 30-year-old Ivan Gomez of Fresno who’s also accused of throwing objects at first responders. “State parks actually the first one to contact him because people had heard reports of somebody throwing rocks at firefighters. Turns out this is what brought everybody's attention and he was the one,” said John Thornburg, spokesman for the Monterey County sheriff’s department. Gomez was in a Salinas courtroom Wednesday at which time judge Pamela Butler ruled he is competent to stand trial. His ability to understand the charges against him may have come into doubt based on comments he allegedly made at the time of his arrest.



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